Combining Agriculture and Information Technology Is a Promising Career Path

AgTech is increasingly being used to help solve complex problems in agriculture to meet the needs of our modern, high-tech food system. To keep up with these challenges, companies seek employees with backgrounds in agriculture and information technology, according to a press release on DigitalJournal.com. And, with a high demand, plenty of career opportunities exist for farm kids with an interest in technology, or computer geeks with an interest in agriculture.

The AgTech field is extensive and has huge growth potential. Using information technology, companies are trying to solve problems in the agricultural supply chain and to improve agricultural data management. Robotics and sensors are being used to optimize crop performance, effectively manage water, and to improve livestock health. Agribusiness managers use computers to track data and conduct business through word processing, spreadsheets, online applications, precision agriculture software, financial services software, and recordkeeping databases.

“AgCompass recognizes the need to spread awareness about career paths available to students with interests and backgrounds that combine information technology with agriculture,” says Nick Chambers, Business Development Manager at AgCompass. “Using technology to improve access to farm data is how AgCompass started out more than 15 years ago, and the AgTech field has expanded tremendously since then.”

Describing themselves as technophiles, with deep roots in agriculture, AgCompass was founded by Ken Wedig, who worked in information technology at John Deere for more than 30 years, and Ev Chambers, a farmer and consultant with a Ph.D. in Horticulture, who has worked in the ag industry for more than 50 years. To help promote the field and contribute to the industry, the team at AgCompass is offering the free guide, “Bright Future for Students Interested in Agriculture and Information Technology.”